"I am officially retired now from tournament snooker," he said. "I made the decision about three months ago."
― StanM, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 20:37 (1 year ago) Permalink
Hearn: it was the wrong decision. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/snooker/17923450
― StanM, Wednesday, 2 May 2012 10:28 (1 year ago) Permalink
Have they always had this subtle wave effect thingy in the yellow score boxes on BBC TV? I suddenly noticed and now it's, well, almost distracting I suppose.
― StanM, Wednesday, 2 May 2012 14:06 (1 year ago) Permalink
I noticed it last year and it annoyed me (and made me wonder how long they'd had it).
― we are not bemused (onimo), Wednesday, 2 May 2012 14:39 (1 year ago) Permalink
I wish I hadn't noticed it. Can't unsee. Grrrrrrrrrrrr
― StanM, Wednesday, 2 May 2012 15:55 (1 year ago) Permalink
inspired
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_snooker_player_nicknames
― Keith pissed on my chips (onimo), Wednesday, 2 May 2012 22:54 (1 year ago) Permalink
Eurosport guys killin' it at the moment - about a missed red that was replayed a couple of times on screen: "I can't believe he missed it three times"
― StanM, Thursday, 3 May 2012 20:28 (1 year ago) Permalink
Didn't the Beeb show all of the one table matches live, completely? I don't remember having to swotch to eurosport for live coverage previously.
― StanM, Thursday, 3 May 2012 20:30 (1 year ago) Permalink
swItch, too
― StanM, Thursday, 3 May 2012 20:31 (1 year ago) Permalink
BBC live for much of the day or available on the red button - dunno if you get that in your part of Blighty. Final should be shown live in full.
― Keith pissed on my chips (onimo), Thursday, 3 May 2012 22:35 (1 year ago) Permalink
No red button, only bbc 1, 2, entertainment and HD here in belgium.
― StanM, Friday, 4 May 2012 05:25 (1 year ago) Permalink
Ronnie killing it this afternoon - breaks of 61, 62, 110, 98 and 90 in five successive frames.
― Keith pissed on my chips (onimo), Friday, 4 May 2012 15:37 (1 year ago) Permalink
Every time he's in the zone like this, it's almost unbelievable he's only the world number 12 at the moment and he's not in the final of every tournament he competes in.
― StanM, Friday, 4 May 2012 16:19 (1 year ago) Permalink
Fuck work for missing this - but yeah, little like it in all sport when he's like this. Not too surprised he is no12. The WC is IT as far as snooker is concerned (now more than ever). Shame its against Stevens, who I'd love it if he won.
Unless Maguire gets through and is at his absolute attacking best I can't see anyone beating him -- bar himself, that is.
― xyzzzz__, Friday, 4 May 2012 18:53 (1 year ago) Permalink
Fantastic entertainment, these two semi finals. Maybe no sustained brilliance from anyone, but great to watch.
― StanM, Saturday, 5 May 2012 12:16 (1 year ago) Permalink
Ronnie was awesome again last night -- its the most controlled and relaxed I've seen from him since he won in '08. Matthews came out, made a century break in the first frame and Ronnie blew him off anyway.
Reckon four world titles would suit him - quite a way below the somewhat (and this is not a diss) mechanical perfectionism of a Davis or Hendry, not less than Higgins (who he came through with at roughly the same time). More successful than a maverick should be - and, from what I can see, he's worked hard to try and combat the bouts of depression and the expectations placed on him for controlling the cue ball in a way only he can.
― xyzzzz__, Sunday, 6 May 2012 09:33 (1 year ago) Permalink
Fear Ali will play slow bullshit - and his potting is better than Edbon's, who is now advising him - to try and get Ronnie off his game. Hope it doesn't work.
― xyzzzz__, Sunday, 6 May 2012 09:34 (1 year ago) Permalink
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/snooker/17972505
Not this again :-/ (although, Come Dancing? Is he just having a laugh?)
― StanM, Sunday, 6 May 2012 12:07 (1 year ago) Permalink
Carter's conservative containing shit against Maguire was painful to watch. Turning into Peter Ebdon is not a price worth paying.
― Keith pissed on my chips (onimo), Sunday, 6 May 2012 13:38 (1 year ago) Permalink
Next to O'Sullivan, everyone looks slow - Carter's still a way off Ebdon's slowest period (that was over 3 minutes for every shot)
― StanM, Sunday, 6 May 2012 14:10 (1 year ago) Permalink
It's not his speed, it's his consistent refusal of mildly risky pots. He had a red to the middle there that every other top player would have rolled in but chose to play safe. He and Ebdon would point out that he won the frame and therefore made the correct decision, I would point out that they're a pair of boring cunts.
― Keith pissed on my chips (onimo), Sunday, 6 May 2012 14:12 (1 year ago) Permalink
:-)
― StanM, Sunday, 6 May 2012 14:14 (1 year ago) Permalink
Ali is trying his best to slow and bog the match down but Ronnie coming up with the answers so far - that 90+ break to go 4-3 was **unbelievable**.
He then followed up with a 141.
Expecting something special tonight.
― xyzzzz__, Sunday, 6 May 2012 17:12 (1 year ago) Permalink
Onimo OTM though. This passive/parasitic gameplan of Carter's is pretty shitty - ok, he looks like he's clinging on, but not because of chances he has created himself.
― StanM, Sunday, 6 May 2012 20:24 (1 year ago) Permalink
Would anyone WANT to win like that? Where's the pride in winning only because your opponent let you in a couple of times? Meh.
― StanM, Sunday, 6 May 2012 20:26 (1 year ago) Permalink
Ronnie 10 - 7 at the end of a scrappy session, it could have been quite worse for Ali.
Mind winning ugly? Ronnie is so good but you also know that ppl have gotten into his head so you need to come up with ways to throw his timing off. Its about being World champion only, nothing else.
― xyzzzz__, Sunday, 6 May 2012 21:56 (1 year ago) Permalink
OK, that's true, but I want to see either a close match or a total walkover, not this let's-try-and-frustrate-the-other-one-into-mistakes kinda stuff.
― StanM, Sunday, 6 May 2012 22:23 (1 year ago) Permalink
As it is, whatever plan Carter has is not being executed to any degree.
12-7.
― xyzzzz__, Monday, 7 May 2012 14:09 (1 year ago) Permalink
It's all smoke and mirrors. He's letting Ronnie have a couple of frames, but then... BAM!
― StanM, Monday, 7 May 2012 14:30 (1 year ago) Permalink
Could be going home a session early - its that bad: 13-7
― xyzzzz__, Monday, 7 May 2012 14:31 (1 year ago) Permalink
So sick of these cuts away to Peter Ebdon sitting in the dark stroking a cat.
― Keith pissed on my chips (onimo), Monday, 7 May 2012 15:52 (1 year ago) Permalink
LOL'ing at this bit they've been showing now and then:
- bombastic orchestral music- heroic slo-mo shots of players descending the stairs- monumental shots of the Crucible- Ronnie: "meh, it's not that great a venue"
Reminds me of"camelot! Camelot! CAMELOT!""it's only a model"
― StanM, Monday, 7 May 2012 16:29 (1 year ago) Permalink
17 - 11, time for gameplan B
― StanM, Monday, 7 May 2012 19:27 (1 year ago) Permalink
Today, news sites over here mentioned Ronnie O'Sullivan's win over Allister Carter and I was like, wait, who? But apparently that IS his name. (if only they'd said Ronald O'Sullivan as well)
― StanM, Tuesday, 8 May 2012 18:48 (1 year ago) Permalink
Dear mr. Virgo, please stop shouting WHERE'S THE CUE BALL GOING between the whispering bits all the time. Thanks!
― StanM, Sunday, 5 May 2013 13:43 (2 weeks ago) Permalink